Foot and Mouth Disease

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of foreign veterinary surgeons who assisted in the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom, (a) which countries they came from; (b) how many came from each country; and (c) what qualifications they were required to have.

Lord Whitty: Foreign veterinary assistance has been provided in two ways. Governments have loaned state veterinarians to the department. Other foreign veterinary surgeons have also been appointed as Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs).
	As of 5 July, 476 state veterinarians from the following countries have provided assistance during the foot and mouth disease outbreak:
	Australia: 76
	Bulgaria: 10
	Canada: 52
	Cuba: 2
	Denmark: 8
	Finland: 3
	France: 21
	Germany: 2
	Hungary: 19
	Iceland: 1
	Ireland: 18
	Israel: 1
	Italy: 1
	Netherlands: 2
	New Zealand: 25
	Norway: 1
	Sweden: 15
	Switzerland: 5
	USA: 214.
	As of 5 July, 378 foreign veterinary surgeons have been appointed as TVIs from abroad and they come from the following countries:
	Australia: 108
	Austria: 7
	Belgium: 3
	Canada: 16
	Czech Republic: 1
	Denmark: 4
	Egypt: 1
	France: 7
	Germany: 15
	Greece: 3
	Ireland: 33
	Israel: 1
	Italy: 10
	Namibia: 1
	Netherlands: 6
	New Zealand: 49
	Norway: 1
	Portugal: 1
	South Africa: 57
	Spain: 37
	Sweden: 1
	Zimbabwe: 11
	USA: 5.
	These figures do not include those foreign veterinary surgeons supplied by veterinary practices in Great Britain. Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs) must be Members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS).
	Foreign Government Vets may be given temporary registration with the RCVS allowing them to carry out foot and mouth work under the supervision of an MRCVS. These veterinarians may not have a qualification normally recognised by the RCVS but would possess relevant experience in connection with state veterinary medicine.

Over Thirty Months Scheme: Foot and Mouth Control Consequential Losses

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will re-consider the case for paying consequential loss to farmers adversely affected by the temporary closure of the Over Thirty Months Scheme.

Lord Whitty: As a result of the suspension of the Over Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) beef and dairy producers have had to retain eligible cattle longer than they would wish, incurring feeding and other costs and without income from the scheme. It has been the policy of successive governments that compensation should not be paid for consequential losses arising from animal disease controls. Nevertheless the Government appreciate that producers of clean cattle which cannot be marketed at under 30 months of age by virtue of foot and mouth disease movement restrictions will suffer a significant loss of return when such cattle are eventually sold into the OTMS. We are alive to this problem and are considering what action might be appropriate in the context of further measures.
	Our first priority must, however, be to isolate and eradicate the disease, so that normal patterns of marketing can be restored. Once this has been done, we will be in a better position to determine the extent to which producers have been obliged to retain cattle which would have been sold at under 30 months of age but which had subsequently to go into the OTMS, and the extent of resultant losses.

GM Crop Trials

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many genetically modified crop trials have been:
	(a) notified at the wrong grid reference;
	(b) set up adjacent to villages or towns;
	(c) notified to the wrong parish council;
	(d) set up to study the effects on worms, soil bacteria and fungi; or
	(e) begun after the scientific capture of baseline data.

Lord Whitty: (a) In the last 12 months we have been notified of 107 GM crop trial sites in England. This figure includes sites in the Farm Scale Evaluations programme, sites for National Seed List trials and small plots of land for biotechnology industry research and development trials. Locations of three of the evaluation sites were originally notified to us with an incorrect grid reference which was subsequently corrected.
	(b) All sites in which trials of GM crops have been set up can be considered as being adjacent to villages or towns.
	(c) There is no requirement in the current legislation to notify parish councils of GM crop trial sites in their areas. For research trials, which includes Farm Scale Evaluations, National Seed List trials and small research and development plots, there is a requirement to advertise a release in a local newspaper circulating in the area. Where this had been done incorrectly we asked the biotechnology company to readvertise with the correct grid reference. As a matter of policy we write to parish councils in whose areas Farm Scale Evaluations are to take place. We are aware of two cases this spring where, despite using the best information available, we wrote to parish councils adjoining the parish council in which the FSE was sited. Information was sent to the correct parishes as soon as we were aware of the mistake.
	(d) None of the GM crop trials has been specifically set up to study the effects on worms, soil bacteria and fungi. However, in the Farm Scale Evaluations, worm activity will be included as one of the measurements of biodiversity indicators.
	(e) All the GM crop trials have begun after the scientific capture of baseline data. However, the independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), which advises the Government on releases of GM crops, rigorously assessed all GM crops before release, and considers the trials to pose a very low risk to human health and the environment. ACRE's decisions are based on current scientific knowledge and baseline data collected over many years.
	The FSE programme has been formulated so that it is self-contained, with no need for baseline data from outside the design of the experiment. In the FSEs, the GM crop and its conventional non-GM equivalent crop are grown on two separate halves of the same field. Apart from herbicide use, both halves of the crop are managed in a similar way. The scientists are sampling both parts of the fields to investigate the diversity and abundance of seeds, plants, insects and larger animals. The form of comparison between the crops is direct, and consequently no information is required on changes in biodiversity before and after sowing.

Plastic Waste

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate of the volume of plastic which becomes waste each year; what proportion of this is recycled; and what consideration is being given to securing an increase in this proportion.

Lord Whitty: The British Plastics Federation has provided the estimates for the UK below. They include packaging and non-packaging waste and, in the total figure, an estimated 425,000 tonnes of recycled pre-consumer plastic waste each year.
	
		
			 Year Amount of plastic waste produced (millions of tonnes) Post consumer recycling ('000s of tonnes) Post consumer recycling % Total plastic waste recycled, including pre-consumer waste ('000s of tonnes) Combined recycling % 
			 2000 3.00 238 7.9 663 22.1 
			 1999 2.94 218 7.4 643 21.9 
			 1998 2.88 145 5.0 570 19.8 
			 1997 2.83 121 4.3 546.5 19.3 
			 1996 2.77 115 4.2 540.5 19.5 
		
	
	Waste Strategy 2000 announced a number of measures designed to deliver a major increase in recycling across all waste streams. These include statutory targets and significant extra funding for local authorities; increases in the landfill tax; and measures to ensure that manufacturers take responsibility for the recycling of the goods they produce.
	We have also established the new Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), with £40 million of government funding for its first three years to tackle the market barriers to increased recycling. Plastics is one of the four materials on which WRAP will be focusing initially. Its work on plastics will include:
	a marketing initiative to raise the awareness of major purchasers of the range of quality or recycled plastic products already available;
	a standards and specifications programme to remove discriminatory specifications and introduce standards for plastics recyclates, including uses for plastic film;
	an R&D programme to develop plastics recycling technology;
	encouraging product design that supports efficient recycling, and encouraging the incorporation of recycled plastics in existing product lines.
	Further details are available at www.wrap.org.uk.

Water Abstraction Strategies

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect the new CAMS areas to be in operation in order that the management of water abstraction will have adequate knowledge of particular needs and localities.

Lord Whitty: Catchment Abstraction Management Strategies (CAMS) started to be prepared from April 2001. Most CAMS will take up to two years to complete and therefore the first CAMS should be complete and operational by April 2003. All 129 CAMS should be operational by April 2008.

Farming: Regulatory Measures

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list the regulations now governing farming and farmers (which carry penalties for non-compliance) and the legislation under which they are made.

Lord Whitty: We regret that the information is not available in the form requested and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.

National Parks: Access

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of open countryside is now open to public access in each national park in England and Wales.

Lord Whitty: The latest figures available for the proportion of open countryside currently accessible in the national parks are given in the table provided, but it should be noted that the figures are updated each week.
	
		
			  A Park area (hectares) B Open country accessible pre-foot & mouth (hectares) C % of park area D Area currently accessible (hectares) E Column D as a % of column B 
			 Brecon Beacons 137,000 61,500 45% 27,126 44% 
			 Broads 30,300 360 1% 360 100% 
			 Dartmoor 95,300 45,500 47% 23,076 51% 
			 Exmoor 69,300 9,000 13% 2,300 25% 
			 Lake District 229,200 105,432 46% 32,502 31% 
			 Northumberland 105,000 20,062 19% 17,950 89% 
			 North York  Moors 144,000 26,927 18% 8,622 32% 
			 Peak District 144,000 25,000 17% 25,000 100% 
			 Pembrokeshire 62,000 N/A N/A N/A No restrictions 
			 Snowdonia 213,200 85,300 40% 85,300 100% 
			 Yorkshire Dales 177,000 8,142 4% 0 0%

DCMS Quinquennial Reviews

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will undertake reviews of the Public Lending Right and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Baroness Blackstone: As part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's programme of quinquennial reviews of its public bodies, I am today announcing that this summer we will be starting reviews of the Public Lending Right and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
	The reviews will include an evaluation of the role and functions of these bodies and how those functions can best be carried out, and a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the way in which they deliver services to their users. We estimate that the reviews will be completed next spring. A copy of the announcement has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Prisoners: Hours Confined in Cell

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many inmates in HM Prisons in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland respectively are kept in their cells for 23 hours a day, and in which establishments they are being detained; and what are the relevant categories of inmates kept in such conditions.

Lord Rooker: The information is not available in precisely the form requested, but there is no prison in England or Wales where the normal regime entails prisoners being routinely locked in their cells for 23 hours a day.
	The following table shows average weekly purposeful hours and average weekday time out of cell by category of prison.
	
		
			  Average weekly purposeful hours YTD May 2001 Average weekday time out of cell May 2001 
			 Male local 19.4 8.7 
			 High security 18.5 9.0 
			 Cat B 24.6 10.0 
			 Cat C 25.6 11.3 
			 Male open 41.6 19.6 
			 Male remand centre 20.0 7.4 
			 Male closed YOI 22.7 7.9 
			 Male open YOI 40.2 12.8 
			 Male juvenile 27.7 10.6 
			 Female local 22.1 8.9 
			 Female closed 26.5 11.4 
			 Female open 33.7 19.0 
			  
			 Total prison Service 23.2 10.0 
		
	
	These are average figures for all prisoners in the establishments.
	Individual prisoners could spend longer periods locked in their cells when segregated for reasons of good order or discipline, as part of a disciplinary punishment, or for their own protection or the protection of others. Details of these prisoners are not collated centrally, but efforts are made to move them to a location where they can participate in a more active regime. Prisoners are also likely to be locked up if they refuse the out-of-cell activities available.
	There are 16 category A prisoners and 5 category B prisoners in close supervision centres and other parts of the High Security estate whose behaviour is assessed as being so disruptive and dangerous that restricted conditions of segregation are necessary for the safety of staff and other prisoners.
	Responsibility for prisons in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive, who should be approached for the relevant information.

Prisoners: Hours Confined in Cell

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their programme and timetable to end the practice of keeping prisoners in cells for 23 hours a day in HM prisons in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland respectively.

Lord Rooker: There is no prison in England or Wales where the normal regime entails prisoners being routinely locked in their cells for 23 hours a day. Prisons have local targets for time out of cell and purposeful activity. These targets and plans for meeting them are set out in the Prison Service's Delivery Agreement with the area or operational manager, and performance is closely monitored.
	Our priority is to reduce reoffending on release. While time out of cell may be important, we believe it is even more important to ensure that as much as possible of that time is spent in a demanding regime of purposeful activity. The Prison Service is therefore investing an additional £31 million in 2001-02, £50 million in 2002-03 and £71 million in 2003-04 following the Spending Review 2000 in work on basic skills, drugs, offending behaviour programmes and resettlement to support this.
	Responsibility for the prisons in Scotland has been devolved to the Scottish Executive.

Commission for Racial Equality: Annual Report

Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the Commission for Racial Equality's Annual Report for 2000. (
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Lord Rooker: The Commission for Racial Equality's Annual Report 2000 is published today.
	Copies have been arranged to be placed in the Library and to be sent to the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales.

Electronic Communications: Storage

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What position they took at the recent Telecommunications Council in Brussels, with particular reference to the storage of electronic communications; and whether the conclusions of the Council, which are to be referred to the European Parliament, are consistent with that position.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: At the Telecommunications Council on 27 June, member states and the Commission agreed to clarify that the proposed Directive would not alter the existing balance between individual rights to privacy and the possibility for member states to take measures necessary for law enforcement. Member states would therefore be able, but would not be required, to introduce data retention requirements provided these were proportionate and in accordance with the general principles of Community law. The position will therefore be essentially the same as it is under the existing Telecommunications Data Protection Directive.
	The UK Government welcome this outcome, although there are no plans to introduce legislation mandating the retention of communications data here. Such a move could only be considered in the context of detailed consultation with all relevant law enforcement, industry and civil liberties interests.

Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the conferment of a peerage on the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank was approved by the Appointments Commission.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Appointments Commission were consulted and raised no objection.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the conferment of a peerage on Baroness Morgan of Huyton was approved by the Appointments Commission; and, if not, why, when and by whom it was decided not to seek the Commission's approval.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government have always made it clear that in relation to party political peers, the Appointments Commission was taking over the role formerly fulfilled by the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee. It was never the custom that appointments to the Lords to enable someone to take up ministerial office should be subject to scrutiny by that committee.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there has been any communication between the Government and the Appointments Commission in relation to the conferment of a peerage on Baroness Morgan of Huyton.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: No.

Peerage Recommendations: House of Lords Appointments Commission

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what basis they decide whether nominations for peerages by the Prime Minister should be subject to the approval of the Appointments Commission.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: With the exception of peerages created to enable individuals to serve as Ministers, all recommendations that the Prime Minister makes to Her Majesty are referred to the House of Lords Appointments Commission for scrutiny. The final decision on whether to recommend those names, however, rests with the Prime Minister, unlike those recommendations proposed by the Commission itself.

Legislative Programme: Application to Scotland

The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which of the 25 Bills announced in the Queen's Speech will be applicable to Scotland.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Fifteen of the 25 Bills in the Queen's Speech include significant measures that apply in Scotland.
	The following is a list of the Bills and their application to Scotland.
	Applies to Scotland: Reserved 1. Tax Credits 2. Pension Credits 3. Welfare Reform 4. NHS Reform and Centralisation (regulation of health professionals only) 5. EC (Finance) 6. EC (Amendment) 7. Export Control and Non-Proliferation 8. House of Lords (following consultation) 9. International Development 10. Safety (advance drafting) 11. Communication (advance drafting) 12. Increasing Women's Representation in Parliament (advance drafting)
	Applies to Scotland: Devolved (Sewel Consent required) 13. Adoption and Children (only certain provisions)
	Applies to Scotland: Devolved/Reserved (Sewel Consent required) 14. Proceeds of Crime 15. Enterprise

European Community Budget 2001

Lord Bruce of Donington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will be publishing the Statement on the 2001 Community Budget.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Statement on the 2001 Community Budget, entitled European Community Finances, has today been laid before Parliament. This White Paper is the twenty-first in the series. As in the past, it covers annual budgetary matters and includes details of recent developments in European Community financial management and in countering fraud against the Community Budget. It also describes the Community Budget for 2001 as adopted by the European Parliament, and the United Kingdom's gross and net contributions to the Community Budget between 1996 and 2001.

Supermarkets: Code of Practice

Lord Peston: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the proposed supermarkets' code of practice will be published and when the relevant supermarkets are expected to give the legally binding undertakings to comply with the remedies set out in the code.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has recently received advice from the Director General of Fair Trading regarding the supermarkets code of practice, which she is considering. An announcement will be made in due course.

Mr Ian Stillman

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to raise with the Indian Government the case of the disabled British charity worker, Mr Ian Stillman, gaoled in India, and to ensure that his welfare is upheld during his period of incarceration.

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about Mr Stillman's welfare at a meeting on 26 June with the Indian High Commissioner and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee's Principal Secretary. The Indian High Commissioner asked for a written note highlighting our concerns and the Foreign Secretary duly wrote to the High Commissioner on 28 June.
	We will continue to speak to the Indian authorities to ensure that Mr Stillman's appeal is heard swiftly.

Mr Ian Stillman

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have had discussions with the Indian High Commission about the case of Mr Ian Stillman, the disabled British charity worker gaoled in India.

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary held a meeting with the Indian High Commissioner and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee's Principal Secretary on 26 June. The Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about Mr Stillman's welfare during this meeting.
	The Indian High Commissioner asked for a written note highlighting our concerns and the Foreign Secretary duly wrote to the High Commissioner on 28 June.

Diplomatic Missions: Non-domestic Rates Arrears

Lord Williams of Elvel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list the names of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom that owed more than £10,000 as at 4 April 2001 in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) for office premises.

Baroness Amos: Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the National Non-Domestic Rates requested from them. However, as at 4 April 2001 the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR):
	
		
			 Country Amount 
			 Nigeria 339,925.44 
			 Iran 105,827.16 
			 Sierra Leone 66,246.88 
			 Yugoslavia 46,638.87 
			 Algeria 39,844.82 
			 Ivory Coast 33,303.54 
			 Mozambique 30,564.99 
			 Jordan 29,048.13 
			 Cameroon 24,583.30 
			 Egypt 23,925.02 
			 Uganda 21,985.39 
			 Libya 21,358.92 
			 Bangladesh 16,131.99 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 15,765.48 
			 Senegal 12,253.02 
			  
			 Total £827,402.95 
		
	
	Eight additional diplomatic missions who owe £10,000 or more in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list. The total amount outstanding from all missions, including these additional diplomatic missions, is approximately £1,480,218.62.

Arms Embargoes and Protective Clothing for Humanitarian Workers

Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they interpret the arms embargoes implemented by the United Kingdom as prohibiting the temporary export to embargoed destinations of protective clothing for the personal use of United Nations personnel, representatives of the media and humanitarian workers.

Baroness Amos: The Government do not interpret those arms embargoes implemented by the UK as prohibiting the temporary export for personal use by United Nations personnel, representatives of the media or humanitarian workers of protective clothing on the UK Military List, which forms Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended. The Government will therefore consider, on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing criteria, all applications for licences for the temporary export of military helmets, body armour, bullet-proof or bullet-resistant clothing, flak suits and specially designed components for any of these goods.

Diplomatic Missions: Unpaid Parking Fines

Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish figures recording the number of outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31 December 2000.

Baroness Amos: At the end of 2000, unpaid fines in respect of parking and other minor traffic violations incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom totalled 5,889. In May this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that they had been issued incorrectly. As a result, payments totalling £81,120.00 were received leaving a total of 3,936 unpaid fines for 2000. The attached table details those diplomatic missions and international organisations that have more than 10 fines outstanding.
	
		Unpaid Parking and Minor Traffic Violation Fines--2000--Diplomatic Vehicles
		
			 Position Diplomatic Mission/International Organisation No of fines outstanding 
			 1 Nigeria 1,084 
			 2 United Arab Emirates 272 
			 3 Egypt 148 
			 4 Qatar 145 
			 5 Iran 114 
			 6 Ghana 104 
			 7 Turkey 96 
			 8 Saudi Arabia 82 
			 9 Ethiopia 74 
			 10 France 69 
			 10 Oman 69 
			 10 Ukraine 69 
			 11 Greece 68 
			 12 Algeria 59 
			 13 China 57 
			 14 Cyprus 55 
			 14 Jordan 55 
			 14 Mongolia 55 
			 14 Morocco 55 
			 15 Hungary 48 
			 15 Malaysia 48 
			 16 Mozambique 47 
			 17 Georgia 45 
			 18 Russia 44 
			 18 United States of America 44 
			 19 Poland 41 
			 20 Kenya 40 
			 21 Cuba 38 
			 22 Kazakhstan 34 
			 23 Tunisia 33 
			 24 Brunei 32 
			 25 Uganda 29 
			 26 Indonesia 26 
			 26 Zambia 26 
			 26 Zimbabwe 26 
			 27 Romania 25 
			 28 Albania 24 
			 28 Yemen 24 
			 29 Pakistan 23 
			 29 Commonwealth Secretariat 23 
			 30 Bangladesh 22 
			 30 Philippines 22 
			 31 Afghanistan 21 
			 31 Namibia 21 
			 32 Lithuania 18 
			 33 Cote D'Ivoire 16 
			 34 Peru 15 
			 34 Sudan 15 
			 35 Cameroon 14 
			 35 Italy 14 
			 36 Portugal 13 
			 36 Uzbekistan 13 
			 37 Bahrain 12 
			 37 Germany 12 
			   
			   3,678

Rail Services: International Comparisons

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that the quality of railway transport services provided in the United Kingdom should be no less favourable than that of other European countries, such as France; and, if not, why not.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: As explained in my Answer on 4 July, [Official Report, col. WA 50], there are significant national variations in the context for rail, including the level of subsidy from the taxpayer and the priority given to rail in national transport policies over successive decades. I would expect the quality of rail services to reflect these variations. The Government recognises that there has been under investment in the railways over many years and the 10 Year Plan provides for £60 billion worth of investment which will enable the capacity and quality of Britain's railways to be improved.

Rail Services: International Comparisons

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have information on the number of signals passed at danger by train drivers in France; and, if so, whether they will publish it.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This information is not held by the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate.

Rail Services: International Comparisons

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 4 July (WA 50), what studies they, as opposed to Railtrack and train operators, have made of the engineering and operational performance of the Swiss railways, SNCF, and other national rail systems; what conclusions they have drawn about the comparative quality of service provided by Railtrack and the operational companies in the United Kingdom; and how far such studies will inform their policy for the future of the railways in the United Kingdom.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have not carried out such comparative studies in recent years. However the Office of the Rail Regulator, in its work, draws on information about performance on maintenance and track condition in a number of countries.

Ballot Papers: Party Logos

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will seek to ensure, following errors in some of the recent elections in Manchester, Guildford, Luton, Stockport, Northampton and Hendon, that returning officers place the correct party logos on ballot papers, whether by allowing party agents to proof-read the ballot papers or by other means.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Responsibility for supplying to the returning officer the correct party logo for a ballot paper rests with the candidate respresenting the registered political party concerned. It is the returning officer's responsibility to ensure that ballot papers are correctly printed from the information he has received. The Government believe it would be wrong to confuse these clear responsibilities by, for example, giving election agents a role in checking ballot paper proofs.

London Underground: Public Private Partnership

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 4 July (H.L. Deb., col. 816), whether it would be necessary to keep full records of expenditure to ensure that money spent on setting up the Public Private Partnership for London Underground is well spent; and
	Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 4 July (H.L. Deb., col 816), whether the amount of money spent on setting up the Public Private Partnership for London Underground is between: (a) £100,000 and £2,500,000; (b) £2,500,000 and £25,000,000; (c) £25,000,000 and £50,000,000; (d) £50,000,000 and £100,000,000; (e) £100,000,000 and £150,000,000; or (f) more than £150,000,000.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: London Transport maintains full records of its expenditure. Expenditure incurred on external consultants setting up the Public Private Partnership and the restructuring of London Underground from 20 March 1998 (the date of the Government's announcement) to 31 March 2001 was £76.7 million.

Trans-European High Speed Rail System: Interoperability Directive

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to implement the European Union Directive on the Interoperability of the Trans-European High Speed Rail System.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Draft regulations to implement the Directive in Great Britain are currently out to consultation with a closing date of 31 July. We will then consider amendments to the regulations in the light of comments received. At present, we envisage that the regulations will be made and then come into force by October.

Trans-European High Speed Rail System: Interoperability Directive

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which rail lines in the United Kingdom are covered by the European Directive on the Interoperability of the Trans-European High Speed Rail System.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The lines covered in the UK are the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh, the West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Manchester, the Great Western Main Line between London and Bristol and Cardiff, that part of the Channel Tunnel that falls within UK jurisdiction and the Northern Ireland part of the line between Belfast and Dublin.

Road Safety Fences: Highways Agency Working Group

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On which dates the Highways Agency working group on the safety of road crash barriers, set up after the Great Heck road accident has met; and when it intends to report its findings.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Highways Agency working group to review the standards for the provision of nearside safety fences on major roads has met twice, on Friday 8 June and Friday 13 July 2001. The Highways Agency proposes to submit the report on the working group's findings to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in the autumn.

Electronic Conveyancing

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to publish the responses to the consultation paper Electronic Conveyancing: A Draft Order under Section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 (CP: 5/2001), published on 16 March.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The consultation period closed on 25 June. I have arranged for copies of the responses to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. My department is currently preparing an analysis of the responses and that will be published shortly.